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I've had some DMs along the lines of "Hey, I can't condone the actions of either side."
So let's talk about that.
So let's talk about that.
First, this completely ignores causation. This isn't an ongoing war between police and rioters. This past week's demonstrations happened because police, again, killed a black man due to excessive force.
One of the first tactics in these circumstances is to dehumanize the victim.
First, no one deserves summary execution without a trial. NO ONE.
Second, George Floyd would have had some solid character witnesses, had this gone to trial. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/may/george-floyd-ministry-houston-third-ward-church.html
First, no one deserves summary execution without a trial. NO ONE.
Second, George Floyd would have had some solid character witnesses, had this gone to trial. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/may/george-floyd-ministry-houston-third-ward-church.html
Okay, now for the "All Lives Matter" and "both sides have acted badly" part, which will take a few tweets.
I see "* Lives Matter" and "but rioters looted and that's bad too" as a similar argument. Both are misdirection and avoiding the issue. https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/Avoiding-the-Issue
I see "* Lives Matter" and "but rioters looted and that's bad too" as a similar argument. Both are misdirection and avoiding the issue. https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/Avoiding-the-Issue
Answer the question: Do black lives matter?
It's a simple, yes/no question. It's not a "but also what about" question, no matter how hard you try to make it one. Yes or no, do black lives matter?
It's a simple, yes/no question. It's not a "but also what about" question, no matter how hard you try to make it one. Yes or no, do black lives matter?
Now, regardless of whether both sides have acted badly (more later), if we can agree that black lives matter, we have a common ground for understanding these protests.
Police have killing black people in indefensible percentages for years, and peaceful protests were ridiculed and ignored. https://twitter.com/JordanUhl/status/1266639855540408320
There's some good information on how police can stop killing so many people, and it's been generally ignored. https://twitter.com/samswey/status/1180655701271732224
There are a lot of great examples from this past week of how local police can choose a non-military, human response and have a positive connection with their communities.
Camden, New Jersey: http://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/2020/05/31/in-camden-new-jersey-police-officers-marched-peacefully-with-protesters-even-bbqd-together/
Camden, New Jersey: http://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/2020/05/31/in-camden-new-jersey-police-officers-marched-peacefully-with-protesters-even-bbqd-together/
Flint, Michigan: https://twitter.com/Goodable/status/1266933266545881088
And there are others: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2020/05/31/in-some-cities-police-officers-joined-protesters-marching-against-brutality/#7e9faa875edb
Now for the most important argument: both sides have acted badly. There are at least three important counterarguments here.
First (as mentioned earlier): This didn't happen out of the blue, with rioters and police clashing. The initial cause was non-violent protests to undeniable, ongoing police brutality against POC. So without police brutality, none of this would have happened.
Second: There are some pretty clear indications that in many circumstances, the worst looting and destruction is being caused by externals - "umbrella man", non-POC looters who drove in from far away, etc. This is pretty clear, plenty of video evidence.
Third: Even in the case that there is some looting by those in the community... really, you ignored peaceful protests for years, it seems like the only thing that gets your attention is a burning Starbucks.
From talking to POC friends, they deal with stresses we'd never even think about - being pulled over for no reason and having to worry about being shot if they reach for their proof of insurance too quickly. It's not okay, and it needs to change.
If this is hard to deal with, please take a step back and consider that most people of all races just want to take care of their families, be proud of their work, feel safe, and feel a meaningful connection to their community.
I'd love to leave this world a better place than when I came into it, and to overcome the challenges and meet the opportunities before us, we'll need to get past the archaic, moronic, pathetic bounds of racism.
